


Number 19

by Jonathan_Kane



Series: Soulmates [2]
Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-14
Updated: 2016-02-14
Packaged: 2018-05-20 08:35:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5999128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jonathan_Kane/pseuds/Jonathan_Kane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pat just knows his soulmate will be a hockey player.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Number 19

Pat just knows his soulmate will be a hockey player. It’s his entire life, his dad driving him between four different teams. He can’t imagine that anyone other than another player would have the patience to deal with him. He assumes it’ll be a guy, just based on the amount of time he spends with other male players, though if it’s a girl, he’s okay with that. What else could a clue like 19 mean, if not the number on the back of his soulmate’s jersey?

However no one has made him feel anything close to the way hockey does. The first time he has that feeling, though, he’s 11, and he’s sitting on the bench watching a player from the other team deke around his d-men and score a beauty of a goal. The Junior Flyers had been up 3-0 but the same kid, with the funny name, scores a second goal on his next shift.

A few minutes later, Pat scores another to give his team a two-goal lead. They end up winning the final 6-3 but Toews gets a hat trick for his team. After the third goal, Pat had wanted to stand up and cheer. Toews is an amazing player - one of the first players Pat has seen who he feels is on his level - and he actually can’t tell whether he’s smiling so much because his team won the tournament or because he got to see Toews play hockey.

This is definitely why he thinks his soulmate must be a hockey player. What else could produce this incredible feeling? He had checked Toews’ number after his second goal; unfortunately it wasn’t 19.

“You were incredible, man,” he says in the handshake line, gazing up at Toews. The other boy acknowledges him with a slight grin, but looks noticeably disappointed at not winning the tournament.

Pat can’t help it if he talks about Toews a bit too much over the following months.

His teammate doesn’t quite manage a no-look pass? “Hey, you remember when Toews did that in the tournament final in July? Wasn’t that awesome?”

His friend talks about considering switching stick brands? “You know, I think that was the stick that Toews used.”

The coach talks about improving his defence? “Yeah, yeah, I get it. You know that tournament in the summer? Toews was an awesome two-way centre.”

Some of it must sink into his coach’s head ( _“We’ve got to get this Toews kid on our team next summer!”_ ), or he must see Toews’ hockey brilliance. Pat practically vibrates in excitement when he sees Toews again, playing against him in a game in Winnipeg. That’s nothing compared to his excitement when he arrives in Toronto for a summer tournament the following weekend and finds out that his coach recruited Toews the previous weekend and he’s joining them on the Junior Flyers.

They both usually centre their own line, but once or twice the coach puts them on the same line and they play beautiful hockey together. Pat thinks this _must_ be what a soul bond feels like, only Jonny - he’s _Jonny_ now - isn’t wearing the number 19.

He can’t help but compliment Jonny’s playing throughout the tournament, and grins in response whenever Jonny lights up at something he says.

# \----

He sees Jonny again throughout the years.

He plays against Jonny in the World U17 Hockey Challenge; Jonny is wearing number 9. A couple of years later, he plays against him in the World Juniors; this time Jonny is wearing 29.

Each time, he and Jonny try to catch up and hang out for a bit.

They’re having dinner two days before the World Juniors semi-finals, hanging out with a random assortment of players from various teams. Pat’s listening carefully as one guy talks about meeting his soulmate and finally understanding his “Yoshi” clue. He can’t help but want that - most of the time. A small part of him is frighteningly attached to Jonny and doesn’t even want to meet his soulmate, who he can’t imagine living up to Jonny and _Jonny’s hockey_.

Jonny, who he realizes just nudged him.

“Yeah?” Pat looks over.

“So, um, you met your soulmate yet?” 

Pat tries not to let how he feels show on his face. Who’s ever heard of a weirdo who doesn’t _want_ to meet their soulmate? It’s supposed to be the be-all and end-all, not this misplaced longing he feels for Jonny.

He tries to be honest with Jonny, and stares at his hands as he says, “I thought so, but the clue didn’t work out, so…”

“That sucks, bro,” Jonny says, and Pat feels the warmth of Jonny’s hand as it pats and then squeezes his shoulder.

What also sucks is losing to Jonny in the semi-finals, although a small part of him is so turned on by Jonny’s hockey that he thinks maybe it wasn’t so bad. 

# \----

About a month before the draft, he gets a phone call from Dale Tallon. His life is so surreal right now; _Dale Tallon_ from the _Chicago Blackhawks_ (’Jonny’s team!’ his mind supplies) is calling him, saying they plan on drafting him with their first pick.

“Yeah, no, that’s...that’s great. That’s _wonderful_. I’m so excited, sir.”

“We’re excited , too,” Tallon says, talking about Pat’s upside and complimenting him while Pat listens in a daze. He finishes with, “And Toews spoke highly of you as well.”

“Jonny? You talked to Jonny?” Pat blurts out.

Hearing Dale recount Jonny’s enthusiasm for his hockey both elates him and destroys him. It’s attention from Jonny, just not the kind he wants. Though if all he’s ever gonna get is Jonny’s respect, it’s gotta be enough. There’s no use pining for more.

# \----

He’s chatting with Jack Skille at prospect camp when they hear “Hey Jack! Hey Pat!”

Pat looks over to see Jonny, and he can’t help it - he loses his balance and falls down.

He can’t take his eyes off the 19 on the arm of Jonny’s Hawks jersey. This _must_ be it. He doesn’t know Jonny’s clue, but he knows the way he feels and he knows the way they have and will play hockey together

Distantly he hears Jonny ask if he’s okay, but he remains focused on the bright white 19.

“You...you...” he struggles with how to explain it to Jonny. He looks at the 19 on Jonny’s arm, and then his gaze travels down Jonny’s arm to the hand that is stretched out toward him.

He reaches out to Jonny’s hand and grasps it, feeling Jonny’s warm fingers as he helps him to his feet.

“You’re wearing 19 now,” he says in a daze. He doesn’t know how to say more at the moment. He’s watched enough bond reveals in movies to know he could take this a variety of ways. But it seems he doesn’t even have to explain.

A brilliant grin stretches across Jonny’s face and his arms reach out to Pat, pulling him into a hug. Jonny’s warm breath wafts over his ear and a matching smile overtakes his face when he hears Jonny say, “We’re soulmates.”

**Author's Note:**

> Also posted on tumblr here: http://toewsloveskane.tumblr.com/post/139325496973/number-19


End file.
